Genki 2 Third Edition

初級日本語げんきII

The Japan Times Publishing

If you’ve wrapped up Genki 1, Genki 2 is the perfect way to keep building your Japanese skills and actually start having real conversations. It covers grammar and vocab that sit between JLPT N5 and lower N4, so by the end, you’ll be able to share your thoughts and opinions in Japanese, not just memorize phrases. The book’s easy-to-follow structure and clear explanations make it great for both self-study and classroom use, so whether you’re working with a teacher or flying solo, Genki 2 will help you get comfortable with more advanced grammar and take your Japanese to the next level.

Level: Beginner - IntermediateJLPT Level: N4Language Style: PoliteCompanion App: Yes

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What does Genki 2 Third Edition cover?

1. Expressing Potential and Possibility

Potential form of verbs (れる・られる)
かもしれない (might, may)
見える / 聞こえる (can be seen/heard)

2. Giving and Receiving

あげる / くれる / もらう (to give, to receive)
～てあげる / ～てくれる / ～てもらう (do something for someone/receive a favor)
～ていただけませんか (polite request)

3. Making Suggestions and Requests

たらどう (how about if you…)
～てみる (try doing)
～ておく (do something in advance)
～たほうがいい (it’s better to…)

4. Expressing Time and Sequence

までに (by [time])
前に / てから (before/after doing)
時 (when)

5. Expressing Intention and Volition

Volitional form (う・よう)
Volitional + と思う (I think I will…)

6. Expressing Hearsay and Appearance

そうだ (I hear that…)
みたい (seems like)
って (informal quoting particle)
によると (according to)

7. Comparison and Degree

に比べて (compared to)
Number + も / しか～ない (as many as, only)

8. Causative and Passive

Causative (させる)
Passive (れる・られる)
Causative-passive (させられる)

9. Expressing Necessity and Permission

なくてもいい (don’t have to)
なければいけない / なくちゃいけない (must do)

10. Honorific and Humble Language (Keigo)

Honorific verbs
Humble expressions
Extra-modest expressions

11. Other Useful Constructions

～てしまう (do completely, regretfully)
ながら (while doing)
たり～たりする (do things like… and…)
予定だ (plan to)
ことにする / ことになる (decide to / it is decided that)

Student Review

If you’ve finished Genki 1, Genki 2 is where you have enough Japanese grammar and vocabulary to become more conversational. It covers material that’s between the JLPT N5 and lower N4 levels, so by the end, you’ll have the grammar you need to actually share your opinions in Japanese. Genki 2 is vital to passing N5.

There’s a lot of pair work, so it’s great if you have a study buddy, but unlike the Minna no Nihongo series, Genki 2 gives you plenty of explanations, so it also works well for self-study.

Each chapter in Genki 2 has the same setup: you get a dialogue, new vocab, grammar explanations, and some practice exercises, so it’s pretty easy to get into a good study rhythm.

There’s also a section for kanji practice at the back, but honestly, using an app with spaced repetition (SRS) is usually a better way to handle stuff you just have to memorize.

On that note, I’d suggest checking out Bunpo as a Genki 2 companion. It’s an app that lets you review the grammar points from Genki through quick quizzes, and you can even add the grammar topics in the same order as they appear in the book, which makes revising a lot smoother.

Finishing both Genki 1 and Genki 2 gives you a solid foundation in Japanese, so you’ll be able to handle simple everyday conversations. Some of my students who’ve worked through both books can chat in Japanese for close to half an hour.

That said, we spend a lot of time in lessons practicing speaking, so if you’re studying on your own, it’s really important to find ways to practice speaking too! Alternatively, if you’re looking for a Japanese teacher to go through Genki 2, contact me here.

Genki 2 is also where you first get introduced to keigo (polite language), humble forms, and honorifics, as well as grammar points like たらand なら. The book steps things up a notch compared to Genki 1, especially when you get into passive, causative, and causative-passive forms. In my experience, this is the point where a lot of learners start to find things a bit trickier, so don’t worry if it takes a little extra time to get comfortable with these new concepts.

Teacher Review

Before using Genki 2 Third Edition:

It goes without saying but before moving on to Genki 2, it's essential to have finished Genki 1!

What to read next?

This is the end of the line as far as Genki is concerned, but now is the time to try read some native material and see how you do! Books like Doraemon are good for beginners.

We would also recommend Learn with Character – Real Japanese Conversation, as a change to practice more contextual learning, thought be aware this works best with a teacher.